Rolling Volume Chair, 1989Ron Arad, British artist, born in Israel, 1951Stainless steel and lead, manufactured by One Off, London. Gift of Robert and Lisa Kessler, 2012.324

“They are still chairs … There always had to be some attributes to do with sitting … You could say that the Volumes series is always functional, but doesn’t always have to be practical. – Ron Arad.” ~ Display at Denver Museum of Art.”

“Ron Arad approached design largely from a sculptural perspective in the late 1980s and early 1990s, driven by the materials and tools he had on hand. The Rolling Volumes – large rocking armchairs – demonstrate Arad’s fascination and experimentation with the techniques and visual effects of welding and polishing steel. Early examples were rough with visible welds. As Arad’s skills improved, he achieved the smooth, highly reflective surface seen here. Heavily weighted at the back with lead, the chair reverses the conventional operation of rocking and tilts upward dramatically when not in use.”~ Display at Denver Museum of Art.